Trapped In Metal
by RECREATIONAL
Summary: One Big Sister will find that the mighty Subject Delta has a soft side... /Chapter 7 will be up again shortly/
1. Chapter 1

**Trapped In Metal **

Subject Delta stood over the defeated Big Sister, his right arm encased in a frost covered heavy mining drill and his left arm coated with dancing electrical lights. This Big Sister proved to be a tough one, as she shakily pushed herself up to her feet. Blood was spilling from a nasty looking gash in her side and air was escaping from the large oxygen tank on her back as well. The Sister's blood red porthole was cracked and her suit was charred black.

The Sister threw her head back and screamed as loud as she could, extended her right hand and telekinetically grabbed a wandering Thuggish Splicer. The Splicer was sent flying through the air, it waved it's limbs all which way in an attempt to get back control of it's body. It's struggle ceased when it was impaled on the six foot serrated ADAM needle of the Big Sister. A sickening squelching noise, similar to when Delta uses an EVE Hypo, sounded throughout the blood stained streets of Pauper's Drop.

Delta released a blast of electricity from his fingertips, stunning the Big Sister as it attempted to drain the Splicer of it's life's blood and then smashed his drill over the side of the Big Sister's head. The 'one-two punch' still proved to be a simple but dangerous battle maneuver as the Big Sister was sent careening to the left and hit a concrete wall with a sickening _CRACK_.

The Big Sister slid to the ground, clutching her helmeted head in pure agony. The Sister has never, EVER felt pain like this. Not even when they had fused the Syringe/Gauntlet onto her arm had she cried.

He just wouldn't die.

This Alpha Series had removed the two Sisters she was in charge of watching over from their rounds with their Big Daddies, she had no choice but to take direct action and recover the ADAM that the metal man had stolen. She tried her hardest, she tried…but she just couldn't beat him. He had the strength and speed of a Bouncer, the tactical intelligence and marksmen ship of a Rosie, and the fire power and aggressiveness of a Rumbler.

It was like he was a combination of all three, not even the Lancers could compete with this…this…

Hollow.

For in her warped, psychotic mind that is what he was. Hollow, no emotion, not a single ounce of regret, even when he was leveling the barrels of a double barreled shotgun right at her cracked porthole. Her body was shaking. Her body shook in pain and fear, their was a constant ringing in her left ear that wouldn't stop and her long gangly legs twitched ever so often from the after effects of being struck by such a high powered electro bolt.

That and she was just exhausted.

As the Big Sister looked her killer straight in the eye she couldn't help but let inky black tears run down her face, she didn't ever think that she would be killed by one of the men she held in such high regard. Big Daddies were not only looked upon as knights by Little Sisters but their Big Sister counterparts as well, this whole experience was traumatizing for her. She could see the Alpha's gloved finger on the trigger of his heavily modified weapon, she could see that she was in for another electrical shock if the high power electrical dynamos mounted to the side of the rifle were any indication. And if that didn't kill her, he would probably bash her skull in until she ceased her twitching.

The Big Sister let out a small whimper and closed her eyes, awaiting her imminent end, she braced herself for the shotgun rounds that would not doubt pierce through her armor and flesh…

But they never came.

The Sister cracked open an eye to see the Demo Daddy…hesitating. The Big Sister whimpered again, and attempted to wipe her tears away, only to be thwarted by her helmet. The Big Sister clutched her helmet in both of her hands and detached it from her shoulders, air escaped her pressurized suit with a hiss as her face was revealed to the world.

A blank yellow porthole met hellish glowing red eyes. The Sister's face captivated Delta…immensely. She had fiery blood red hair and her eyes glowed with a red light that looked as if they emitted from the deepest bowls of hell. Her face was unnaturally pale, due to not being exposed by ultraviolet rays AND to being confined to her Big Sister suit. She had a couple of scars here and there and her face was littered with freckles. As the Sister finished wiping the inky black liquid from her face, she looked up at Delta with her full plump lips parted. Her lower lip quivered as she stared into the barrels of Delta's shotgun.

"_**M-Mr. B-Bubbles, p-please…D-don't…."**_

Delta's eyes widened behind his visor as she attempted to converse with him, but why was she trying to talk to him in the first place? The last Big Sister he fought, fought to the death. Delta looked to his left then to his right then slowly put his shotgun away.

The Big Sister wiped one last stray, inky black tear from her eye then when she looked back up to the Alpha Daddy he had his gloved right hand extended towards her.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter II: Cold Metal Crush **_

Subject Delta stood there, easily a good seven feet tall, offering his massive hand encased in steel and metal to the marred, mentally disturbed teenager. The Big Sister was downed and wounded, be that as it may, the Alpha Daddy was still one edge. The last Big Sister that he engaged in battle with nearly killed him, the thing saving him from death being a couple of well placed trapped rivets. Delta's rational mind was telling him to kill the Big Sister, but his heart was saying otherwise. Though the Sister was now grown she was at one time a Little Sister.

The lithe teenager bound in an assortment of leather and metal didn't seem to understand what he was doing, she took his outstretched hand as him preparing to strike her with his open palm. She clenched her hollow vermillion eyes, preparing for the pain in her cheek that was no doubt about to come. Delta stared at the girl, the dimly lit street light of Pauper's Drop: Town Square barley illuminating her pale flesh. The blackish crimson red strands of her hair cascaded down her face, the scars that littered her face that were barely noticeably in light emitting a faint orange glow.

Delta averted his gaze from the strange sight and did a quick sweep of their surroundings, the psychotic ramblings of Rapture's spliced up population could be heard echoing down it's decaying corridors and the faint groan of a Big Daddy sounded through the city's sunken hallways. The coast was clear, for now, but they couldn't stay here for long. Delta turned his gaze back to the metal encompassed teenager who was just sitting there, patiently awaiting her eminent death… He wasn't going to kill her or leave her here to die, he was going take her with him. He could not in good conscience leave the girl here to die, the girl had something that, that other Big Sister didn't…

A mind.

This Big Sister, for whatever reason, had a mind and will of her own. She could be reasoned with, which meant that she could also be saved. Delta kneeled to the metallic teen's level and gently clutched her right shoulder in his left hand. A screech of pain and fear escaped the girl's lips, her entire body was aching, even the slightest touch was painful to her. Delta began to gently rake the massive fingers of his right hand through the strands of her oily blood colored hair, he loved the color of the girl's hair…blood red and…scarlet.

That's what he was going to refer to the Big Sister as. Scarlet.

'Scarlet' was so confused, what was the Alpha Daddy doing? His touch was not harsh and abusive but gentle and warm. His touch sent a tingly sensation through her flesh which traveled to every nerve in her body. Scarlet opened her ruby orbs, curiousness shining apparently within their hellish depths.

Delta mentally sighed in exasperation, his Sister Savior Plasmid had no effect on the girl whatsoever. The damned parasite lodged within her stomach was probably in there for to long, Delta wouldn't be surprised if it had fused with her entirely. The hollow man let out a long, exasperated Big Daddy groan and gently placed his left hand over the wound in Scarlet's side. He began to heal the wound with a couple of his first aid kits, the gooey red substance spurted from the openings in his glove and sunk into the deep gash in the Sister's side. The substance quickly increased her cell regeneration. The wound was gone within seconds. Delta stood up and offered his hand to the teenage girl turned monster once more.

Scarlet stared at him with a facial expression that was to put it simple, comical.

She stared at him with her wide glowing vermillion eyes, her face contorted into a look of disbelief. Her mouth was completely agape, if Delta could talk he would've told her to close it before she caught flies. She couldn't believe that this rogue Alpha, this hollow man that she had seen cut down his own brothers with no remorse or sympathy, was sparing her life. Scarlet tilted her head to the right and quirked a rust colored brow. Her lips were pursued in a cute little pout as she stared at the tarnished leather that encompassed Delta's hand. What if the rogue Daddy was planning to trick her? What if he was just waiting for her to let her guard down? Scarlet thought this over in her head but quickly dismissed it, she was to weak to defend herself, the Alpha could kill her right now if he wanted to. Scarlet stared at his outstretched hand once more before taking it. Delta helped her get to her feet, leaned over to grab her helmet from off of the ground, and put it gently onto her head. Delta gestured Scarlet to follow him, which she obliged. Delta lead her to a Vita-Chamber, it's clear glass doors quickly swung open. At the moment Delta was the only thing in Rapture who could be revived by a Vita-Chamber, but anyone could use the device's secondary function. Delta gently pushed Scarlet towards the chamber, telling her with hand gestures to get into the chamber. Scarlet eyed the chamber warily, her knees bent inwards. She cautiously stepped into the chamber, the doors slammed shut and an electric blue light swirled around her. She was frightened beyond all belief…but she trusted…Mr. Bubbles wouldn't hurt her. His rage and distrust for her seemed to be gone…

He now radiated kindness and warmth.

The Vita-Chamber _'DINGED'_, signaling that the process was over. When Scarlet stepped out of the chamber, her suit had returned to it previous state, her porthole now shining a clam yellow. Any person could use the Vita-Chambers to mend torn fabric and such, it wouldn't heal them though. Delta watched as Scarlet looked herself over, she emitted a surprised yet joyful screech and before he could react, she pounced onto him, her helmet visor now shining an emerald green. She had her arms wrapped around his metal encased head and her long shapely legs straddled his waist.

"_Umm…kid, what exactly are you doing?"_ The southern drawl that escaped from the radio in Delta's helmet was unmistakable. Delta felt his face heat up from behind the cover of his visor, he had forgotten that the camera attached to his helmet allowed Sinclair to see through his eyes. Scarlet yelped at the sound, the voice came out of nowhere! She swiveled her now helmeted head all which way, bobbing her head in a similar fashion to that of a frightened bird. A deep sigh escaped from the fourth father of the protector program, Delta gave Sinclair a curt grunt, which the businessman responded to with rather loud laughter.

"_HAH, HAH, HAH! Whoa, I-I'm sorry there kid, but I-I c-can't believe t-that you actually gone out and found yourself a girlfriend! Well, I guess love can exist anywhere, even in this hellhole. Heh, heh, (Ahem) if you and your girlfriend are done doing the metal grind on each other, could you be so kindly as to head to the Sinclair Deluxe? We need that key off of Gracey to proceed any further."_

Delta blushed in embarrassment at the implication of Sinclair's words, the vermillion haired Scarlet just continued to straddle him. She had no idea what the funny sounding voice was talking about but as along as it didn't hurt her or Mr. Bubbles then she didn't really care what it said. Delta held Scarlet in his hands from under her arms and gently placed her on the ground, he then gestured for her to stay close to him, he didn't want her wandering off. Scarlet nodded her helmet encompassed head, remembering all the hand gestures that her Big Daddy protectors had used to convey words to her. The gruesome pair made their way to the Sinclair Deluxe, the only thing giving away their presence being Delta's heavy footsteps…and Sinclair's laughter.

"_Wow, I'm sorry kid, my mind is just still having trouble wrapping around the fact that you found yourself a Misses Delta. Bet you had to knock some sense into her, eh? Those Big Sisters are definitely not the shy, gentle, caring or all around pleasant to be around type."_

Delta just replied with a grunt, he did have to agree with Sinclair on that. He still had scars from his first Big Sister fight to prove it.

"_Heh, heh, kid I wish you could've seen my face when I saw that Big Sister jump onto you! I had just jumped back onto the train after gathering some supplies when I saw her rushing towards you! Judging from the look I saw in her 'eye', I thought that she was going to start doing lewd and terrible things to your person. HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH, with all those cartwheels and acrobatics that she no doubt performs I bet she is MONSTROUS in bed! HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH! Oh, next thing you know you two are going to have VERY Little Sisters following you all over the place, HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH!"_

Delta groaned in exasperation, was he going to have Sinclair teasing him the WHOLE way there?

"_I-I'm sorry kid, whoa. Well, I got that out of my system, looks like you're finally there."_

Indeed they were. Delta and Scarlet stood at the entrance of the Sinclair Deluxe, a Brute Splicer had thrown an explosive canister at the hotel's sign, making the huge structure collapse and block the entrance. Delta took out his frost covered Drill and revved it up, the action making Scarlet who was standing beside him jump a little. The Alpha Daddy sent himself dashing towards the pile of debris, impacting it with enough force to send the huge pile of cement and steel flying everywhere.

Scarlet watched as the Splicers on the other side of the huge pile of granite and metal were crushed by the flying pieces of sign and building. Her morbid fascination with watching the Splicers scream in outrage and agony soon turned to horror when one of the pieces of building impacted the back of a wandering Rosie. Delta realized this as well and just as the Rosie turned to face him, it's massive Rivet Gun raised and it's Porthole a hellish red, he had his Machine Gun clutched tightly in his right hand and ambers dancing in his left.

Delta quickly set the Rosie ablaze with Incinerate and unloaded heavy machine gun rounds into it's armored hide. The Big Daddy retaliated by rampaging towards Delta, firing it's massive Rivet Gun and trampling any Splicer foolish enough to get in it's way. The searing white hot metal projectiles pierced through Delta's armor, making the Alpha Daddy grunt in pain. Delta set the Rosie ablaze once more before running back towards the entrance of the Sinclair Deluxe. He waved Scarlet away, she nodded and headed further back into the Drop. Delta turned around and unloaded more rounds into the metal behemoth. The Rosie groaned in pain but it did not stop it's charge. Delta let the flames in his left hand die down, they were soon replaced by a pinkish hazy mist. Delta extended his hand and set a Decoy of himself to distract the Rosie. Delta was running low on Rivet Gun and Machine Gun ammo, he had to restock quickly before engaging his massive enemy.

Delta was now entering the Pauper's Drop: Fishbowl Diner area, his Big Sister companion waiting for him at the automatic door. Delta quickly gestured for her to follow him as he ran up to a Circus Of Value's Vending Machine. He maxed out on all possible ammo, first aid kits, and EVE hypos. A distinct whistling sound met both Delta's and Scarlet's ears. Delta pushed his companion aside and grabbed the proximity mine that was lobbed at them by the hyper violent Rosie with his telekinesis. Subject Delta smirked as he propelled the explosive right back at it's sender. The Rosie side stepped to it's left, the explosive missing by inches, and a pained maddened roar suddenly echoed throughout the area like the blow horn of a ship.

The slightly burnt Elite Rosie, which was on it's way to repair a leak, laid it's blood red gaze on Subject Delta. The behemoth roared in primal furry before firing it's Rivet Gun at the Demo Daddy, it's lesser counterpart doing the same. Delta cursed mentally as he lit the behemoths up with Incinerate and fired his Machine Gun at the duo.

Scarlet, who was standing a ways behind him, was in turmoil. She didn't want to hurt the two Big Daddies but she couldn't let them hurt Mr. Bubbles! Her porthole looked as if it were malfunctioning as it rapidly flashed between red and yellow.

Delta had the two Big Daddies firing at a decoy of himself as he quickly load some trap rivets onto a trash can. He hurled the booby trapped tin can at the metallic behemoths, the traps firing secondary rivets into their armored hides. The Elite Rosie gave a frightening roar before charging towards Delta, firing it's massive Rivet Gun. Delta howled in pain as a rivet pierced his chest plate, he was forced to kneel when a rivet ripped through his armored knee. Delta was forced to his hands, desperately trying to catch his breath, he then looked up from his position to find the end of a smoking Rivet Gun pointed at his visor. Delta glared defiantly at his adversary as it prepared to pull the trigger of it's gun.

'_NO! MR. BUBBLES!'_

Scarlet's porthole shinned a hellish red and she threw her head back and screeched, stunning the Elite Rosie momentarily. Scarlet launched herself at the behemoth with pure blinding speed, how dare he try to take Mr. Bubbles away from her! Scarlet leapt into the air and performed a flying kick to the Elite Rosie's head, making the behemoth stumble. She then perched onto a wall to her left and kicked off of it, sending herself diving towards the Elite Daddy once more. Her ADAM Syringe pierced through the Elite's toughened body armor, causing him to grunt in agony and fury. Scarlet jumped onto the behemoth and stabbed her ADAM Syringe into it's chest plate but before she could kick off of the giant, the Elite Rosie retaliated by smashing it's Rivet Gun over her helmet encased head. Scarlet crashed into the ground and skid to a stop by some explosive tanks. Scarlet quickly got to her feet, she commanded the tanks to rise into the air with the power of her mind and the vermillion eyed girl hurled them at the Elite Big Daddy. The beast was forced a couple feet backwards and knocked onto it back. As it struggled to get to it's feet, it's lesser counterpart charged Scarlet, rivets whistled towards the Big Sister, piercing her armored form.

Delta felt his wounds quickly seal as first aid kits flooded his system. The Demo Daddy raised his own Rivet Gun, loaded it with heavy rivets and fired at the charging Big Daddy. Rivets slammed into the charging behemoth, piercing it's porthole, but the attack did not deter it's advancements. Once the Daddy was near enough to Scarlet, it slammed it's foot into the ground, causing a shockwave powerful enough to knock Scarlet off balance. The Rosie raised it's Rivet Gun in preparation to bash it over Scarlet's head…only to be launched a couple of feet into the air by a well placed cyclone trap. Scarlet raised her right hand and with a screech of primal rage, fired off a barrage of fireballs. The Big Daddy howled as the fireballs impacted it's massive form, causing it to combust and slowly cook from within it's suit. Delta let the winds that encompassed his left hind die down and once again let flames flicker in his left hand and grabbed the handle of his Machine Gun in his right. Delta intensified the flames the air born Daddy was already smothered in and unloaded on it with machine gun fire while Scarlet continued to send fireball, after fireball at the metal behemoth. The Rosie crashed into the ground with enough force to create a crater, it let out a long pain filled moan as it's porthole slowly dimmed to black.

A piping hot rivet impacted Delta's shoulder before he had a chance to even remotely celebrate. Delta roared over to Scarlet to follow him as he sprinted around the corner of the Fish Bowl Dinner. Delta sent some EVE streaming into his system and quickly put down four Cyclone traps and a couple of trap rivets as he waited for the metallic behemoth to round the next corner. Scarlet had her wicked serrated weapon poised to strike as she waited for the Elite Rosie. The thundering footsteps of a Big Daddy reverberated through the ground and the blood red gaze of the ferocious Elite Rosie spotted them as it rounded the corner. Delta fired his Machine Gun as soon as he spotted the Daddy and set it ablaze with Incinerate. Scarlet unleashed a storm of fireballs from her right hand, screeching like a bat out of hell as she did so. The Elite Rosie stumbled forwards as it tried to push through their assault and it's armor was promptly pierced by the secondary rivets released from Delta's trap rivest and it was launched high into the air by the swirling tornado like winds of the Cyclone Traps. Delta and Scarlet continued to fire on the Elite Daddy as it traveled upwards.

Scarlet was seething mad, she was furious that these Daddies almost killed her Mr. Bubbles! She had to make sure that this one stayed down…for good. Scarlet stopped her fire barrage and disappeared in a swirling storm of purple haze, she reappeared above the still air born Elite Rosie. As the Big Daddy descended, so did she, her ADAM Syringe was poised for a killing strike. She slammed her Syringe into the Elite Daddy's chest mid air, increasing their acceleration towards the ground. The Elite Rosie slammed into the ground with enough force to crush the life support systems attached to it's back, causing blood to fly everywhere.

The Elite Rosie had died the moment it hit the floor.

Scarlet stood above the fallen behemoth, frantically trying to catch her breath. She walked shakily over to where her Mr. Bubbles stood, she stumbled…but her knight had caught her before she hit the floor.

OOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOO

_AN: I was thinking splitting this into two chapters…but then I realized the chapter after this is probably going to be just as long...'probably'._


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter III: Cold Metal Heart **_

The clanking sound of metal against cement echoed through the blood spattered streets of Pauper's Drop as Subject Delta made his way to the Sinclair Deluxe, his lithe armored companion lying limp in his arms. The Demo Daddy's blank emotionless porthole betrayed his worry as he examined the adolescent Sister, checking her for any major injuries. The vermillion eyed youth's armored chest rose and fell, a sure sign that she was exhausted but otherwise okay. As the man of flesh and metal arrived at the entrance of his destination, he placed his lithe female counterpart against a nearby wall and gently detached her bulbous helmet from her shoulders.

A face whose skin looks as if it was carved of pure marble, sprinkled with freckles and topped with a head full of frizzled scarlet red hair once again graced his eyes. Delta could not for the life of him figure out why Scarlet's face captivated him so. Whenever he gazed upon the girl's hypnotic features he just got lost in them, he especially enjoyed staring into her hollow blood red eyes. Scarlet's full plump lips parted slightly as Delta traced the length of one of her glimmering orange scars with a massive leather encompassed finger.

Delta jerked his hand back when the psychotic teenager began to stir. Her vermillion orbs fluttered open and a smile instantly graced her lips as she gazed into Delta's porthole adoringly. Scarlet wrapped her gangly arms around Delta's armored head and placed a small kiss on his visor. Delta gasped loudly in surprise and fell onto his backside much to Scarlet's amusement. The Alpha Daddy shook his head and could not help but smile faintly behind his brass tinged mask.

"_Well, judging by how lively you two seem I'm guessing you made it out of that brawl relatively okay. I have got to say that, that was one hell of a fight."_

Delta could only grunt in agreement, if it weren't for Scarlet he would have taken a trip to a Vita-Chamber. The handy live saving devices did not in anyway take the pain out of dieing and Delta was not going to start relying on the contraptions. In the Hollow man's mind, if he dies during this journey it would mean that without the Vita-Chambers his quest would have stopped right then and there. Plus, it would be like a small triumph for Sofia Lamb, for in her mind she has the comfort of knowing that without the Vita-Chambers he would be nothing but an insignificant insect.

He was not going to let her have even a brief moment of triumph.

"_Well kid, I suggest you restock on supplies before you begin your bloody romp through the hotel. Grace Holloway maybe old but she has the Rapture Family on her side and they are not gonna let you get anywhere near her without a fight."_

Scarlet's vermillion eyes showed turmoil as she once again heard that woman's name.

Grace Holloway.

Unlike the Big Daddies who are left mostly to themselves to complete their duties, Big Sisters mostly take orders directly from the Mother herself: Sofia Lamb. In addition to watching over Little Sisters and Big Daddies, as well as sometimes even taking the place of a Big Daddy Protector, they also function as leaders for the Splicers, assassins, and even personal bodyguards. Scarlet was ordered by the Mother Lamb to guard and protect Grace Holloway, the former psychiatrist's only friend.

As she followed her Mr. Bubbles through the darkened blood stained halls of the Sinclair Deluxe, she couldn't help but bite her lower lip in desperation.

What was she going to do?

Scarlet couldn't harm Mr. Bubbles, though they were once enemies they had now become…what was the word she was looking for? Mates, perhaps? Anyway, she felt happy when she was with the Alpha Daddy and she could tell that he felt the same way. She couldn't betray him, she WOULDN'T betray him. But what about her duties to the Family? To the Mother Lamb?

To her utter surprise, Scarlet found herself snarling in disgust at the words 'Family' and 'Mother Lamb'. For in her psychotic mind a small flame had ignited and with that flame came knowledge and reasoning. The Mother Lamb said that she loved her, loved them all…but did she really?

The ambush came suddenly and without warning.

The Splicers were bidding their time, playing dead, just waiting for the right moment to strike. White hot lead now whizzed passed her now blood red porthole and her vision blurred as the rusted wrench of a Thuggish Splicer impacted with her metal encompassed cranium.

"You traitor, you whore!" The wrench wielding masked man yelled out as he continued hammering his wrench over Scarlet's head. The blows annoyed her more than anything else. "You were suppose to kill the rogue, smite the Family's enemies! Not-"

A sickening _CRACK_ sounded through the air as Scarlet delivered a bone shattering spinning kick to the Thuggish Splicer's jaw, she then smashed her head against the mutated man's skull. Her metallic helmet split the man's head wide open and he crumpled to the ground in a bloody heap. As Scarlet stared into the man's fading eyes, she saw not a monster of Rapture but a human being. A man broken, taped together haphazardly and miss shaped beyond all repair. He was just like her, just like Mr. Bubbles, just like every other _monster_ that crept and crawled through Rapture's half submerged corridors.

If Mother really cared about them…wouldn't she be trying to help them? She would be…but she isn't, instead she's using them.

Scarlet turned her head in time to see Delta let a bolt of lightning streak from his fingertips, frying a group of Tommy Gun wielding Leadhead Splicers standing in an ankle deep puddle of water. Turning to his right, the Mechanical Soldier smirked behind his visor as he spotted a Power To The People Machine. Taking a step towards the machine, Subject Delta crossed his arms in thought. He was already heavily armed, brandishing not only a Drill but a Rivet Gun, Machine Gun, and Double Barreled Shotgun as well. Delta took a backwards glance at Scarlet, who has been unusually quiet for sometime now. Something was bothering the mentally disturbed teenager.

Delta wished he had a voice so that he could speak to her, it was so frustrating having so much on your mind yet having no way to express it. Delta forced the thought to the back of his mind for now and beckoned Scarlet to stand beside him. Scarlet shook herself from her dazed state and stood beside her Mr. Bubbles at the ready. The Sister quirked a rust colored eyebrow as Mr. Bubbles gestured for her to detach her Syringe/Gauntlet from her arm and place it on the slot mounted to the side of the Weapons Upgrade Machine.

Scarlet cringed behind her visor, removing her syringe hurt…very much…but Mr. Bubbles was only trying to help her and she wasn't going to push him away. Scarlet rotated the two valves that lined the top of her gauntlet and clenched her teeth in pain as the spiral cork screw like needles digging into her arm unscrewed themselves from her flesh. Scarlet winced but smirked slightly as she detached the weaponized hypodermic needle from her arm, the cork screw like needles dripping with her blood, and laid the weapon in the slot of the machine which quickly drew it within it's confines. After a couple of seconds, the machine _DINGED_ and the weapon was once again back in the slot.

Delta couldn't help but chuckle lightly as Scarlet emitted a joyful screech.

As the gruesome pair walked on, Scarlet could not stop grinning at her modified ADAM Syringe. Delta had chosen the damage increase upgrade for Scarlet's wicked weapon, the six foot serrated blade now had a sharpened three foot combat knife attached to the end of it, increasing it's cutting and stabbing power significantly. Delta wore a large grin behind the cover of his visor as Scarlet clung to his left hand, the vermillion eyed youth still admiring her upgraded blade. The joyful emerald glow that shined from the metallic woman's visor was a testament to her happiness and Delta felt proud knowing that he was the one who made her smile.

"_Kid, I have got to say that, that is one hell of a wedding ring…"_ Sinclair commented over the Demo Daddy's radio. Delta could not help but blush at Sinclair's words but he growled dangerously low which caused the man to laugh sheepishly.

"_Alright, alright kid I'll hold off with the jokes…. For awhile anyway, he, he, he…"_

Delta just shook his head, clearly annoyed, and marched on towards Grace's room with Scarlet's lithe fingers intertwined with his own.

"_Subject Delta, you never cease to amaze me. Not only do you pervert the minds of the children of The Family with your touch of corruption, but now you seduce our gatekeepers?"_ The English twang of Sofia Lamb's voice crackled over Delta's radio. The Alpha Daddy emitted a curt grunt while Scarlet stood there with her knees bent inward. It was the Mother Lamb! What was she going to do to them? Was she going to kill Mr. Bubbles? Was she going to kill her for betraying the Family?

"_Why, Subject Delta? Why do you refuse to open your eyes and see the truth? Eleanor has a destiny, she no longer has any use for you, she is bigger than you. You rampage through the city streets, killing only for yourself, thinking of only yourself. Paradise has no place for an abomination like yourself…and as much as I hate to kill a one of our own, I'm afraid I have no choice. Delta, everything you touch warps and corrupts before my very eyes, that girl standing beside you is no exception. Honey,"_ Sofia Lamb directed towards Scarlet. _"I am so sorry. I have asked these guardians to make your death quick and painless. Please forgive me."_ And with that, Sofia's voice fizzled out from the radio and an ear splitting scream sounded throughout the area, followed by another.

Scarlet stood there, her vermillion eyes wide with shock and horror. The Mother Lamb was actually going to murder them, turn her fellow Sisters against her! But mother said she loved her, Dr. Alexander said that Mother loved them all! Scarlet clutched her head with both her hands and let out a small whine.

Why was the Mother Lamb doing this?

As another discordant screech bellowed throughout the area followed by another, Subject Delta hurriedly pulled Scarlet down the halls of the 'Sinclair Deluxe: Tenements' at a breakneck speed. The gruesome pair finally arrived in an open area which had a Security Camera sweeping the room and a Tonic resting in the hands of a corpse which was splayed on one of the Rapture Family's shrines. Delta quickly hacked the Security Camera with his Hack Tool and swiped the Tonic off of the table.

"Hey you stupid Metal Daddy that's not your's!" The raspy voice of a Leadhead Splicer screamed out. In one fluid motion, the Mechanical Soldier tossed the vial of viscous blue liquid to Scarlet and fired a piping hot rivet into the skull of the Leadhead who had appeared on a nearby balcony. As the last metallic screams of bubbling rage echoed throughout the area, Delta quickly restocked on ammo and other supplies at a Circus Of Values and gestured for Scarlet to splice the Tonic into her system. The vermillion eyed teenager drew the liquid into her system with her ADAM Syringe and a thick layer of frost immediately covered the surface of her wicked weapon.

Scarlet was panicking, she has never faced one of her own kin and she was reluctant…but she had to swallow her fear.

'_I won't allow them to hurt Mr. Bubbles!'_

Scarlet set her face into a look of pure determination and set herself onto high alert, her Sisters could be anywhere.

"_Kid, Lamb's sending two of her Dark Hands your way! I'm sending you something that could be a lifesaver, check the pneumo!"_

Delta immediately did so and moaned a sound of thanks to Sinclair as he pulled a Launcher from the mailing machine.

"_No problem kid."_ Sinclair replied. _"Just don't go all ballistic and blow up the place. Oh and Delta-"_

A lithe figured bound in an assortment of leather and metal pounced onto Delta's chest before he could even grunt a reply. The hostile Big Sister stabbed her Syringe into the Demo Daddy's chest plate, causing him to grunt in agony and pain, and kicked off of the Mechanical Soldier. Subject Delta roared out in fury and set the metal woman ablaze with Incinerate and began to unload on her with heavy machinegun rounds. The Security Camera Delta had hacked immediately locked onto his aggressor and sent out four Security Bots. The Sister screeched in fury as she was pelted by machine gun rounds from all sides and smothered in smoldering flames.

Scarlet saw that her Mr. Bubbles was in trouble and charged the Big Sister who had attacked him with her modified Syringe raised, screaming like an animal as she did so. Scarlet screamed out in agony and surprise as she crashed into the ground, her lithe form engulfed in blazing crimson flames. Scarlet quickly got to her feet and raised her Syringe to block the downward slash of the second Big Sister, completely ignoring the flames that threatened to consume her. As the two Sisters fought for dominance over the other, Delta fired machine gun rounds into his enemy as she leaped and kicked off of walls and other surfaces. The Security Bots fell one by one as they were scorched by genetic fireballs but the Security Camera just sent in more. The Sister leaped off of a wall, just as the spot spontaneously combusted, and sent herself diving towards Delta.

Delta quickly let sparks dance in his left hand and let a bolt of lightning streak from his fingertips. The Sister screeched in pain as lightning surged through her body, and she fell to the floor in a spasm. A frost layered Drill quickly found it's way into Delta's right hand and he stunned the Sister with another Electro Bolt before he proceeded to pummel her with his bloodied weapon.

Scarlet pushed her enemy away before letting a barrage of fireballs streak from her right hand. The enemy Sister screamed in agony as her form was engulfed in smothering flames. Security Bots had also circled Scarlet's opponent, pelting her with a hail of fiery lead. The enemy Sister suddenly snapped. She threw her head back and screeched in primal fury, she let her Telekinetic abilities wreak havoc on the environment around her, not caring who are what she harmed.

A Security Bot impacted Scarlet's form and she was sent crashing into one of the many windows that held the sea outside at bay. The window spider web cracked as Scarlet picked herself up. Security Bots smashed into walls and were sent spiraling to the ground at the sheer might of the enemy Sister's power. The vermillion haired Scarlet screeched at her enemy in defiance and hurled a multitude of boulders, corpses, and other objects with her own Telekinesis. The flying objects showed no prejudice as they smashed into surfaces at extreme speeds, including the window that Scarlet was thrown up against.

The battle raged on for what seemed like hours. Fireballs roared through the air along with bolts of lightning, flying boulders, rivets, machinegun fire, frag grenades, it was a chaotic storm.

Delta was knocked to the ground as his enemy barreled into him at extreme speeds. His Security Camera now lay on the floor in a charred black heap, as well the mechanical drones that it had sent into battle. The Demo Daddy roared out in agony as the Sister's wicked weapon plunged into his right shoulder. The Sister cackled menacingly as she raised her right hand, her palm pulsing with flame, preparing for the killing blow. The Sister suddenly found herself looking down the barrels of a shotgun and was propelled backwards by the brutal force of Solid Slug ammo. As a consequence, the Sister's charged up fireball reeled off coarse and smashed into the window that was already weakened by Scarlet's battle.

The four metallic titans froze, all portholes now facing the window as it weakened and gave way. The glass groaned and in a majestic show of strength and power, the waters of the Atlantic plowed into the Sinclair Deluxe. Scarlet and her opponent were thrown to the ground as a huge wall of water slammed into them, with Delta and his own aggressor quickly following suit. Delta groaned exhaustingly as he picked himself up and trudged through the raging waters that were quickly invading the hotel. He pulled Scarlet onto her feet, the vermillion haired Sister was slightly disorientated. The Demo Daddy lead the vermillion eyed teenager towards the upper levels of the Sinclair Deluxe, leaving a trail of Cyclone Traps, Proximity Mines, and Trap Rivets as they pushed on.

A smirk graced Delta's lips from behind his blood stained porthole when two distinct screeches of pain and agony met his ears. The emergency steel gates installed throughout Rapture will prevent Pauper's Drop from flooding any further.

It was time to confront Grace.

Delta and Scarlet weaved a path of blood and destruction as they traveled upwards, getting ever closer to their goal. The Mechanical Soldier was on full alert, he knew that it was highly unlikely that he and Scarlet killed those two Big Sisters. They would be stalking them, hunting them. Waiting for the right moment to strike. Delta, for the first time ever, shivered as he read the grotesque bloody graffiti written on the walls.

For they all read: _Big Sister Is Always Watching You._

Scarlet sighed in relief when they had finally made it to their destination, they would finally be able to get out of this place…

So why were they just standing there?

They stood there in that room whose walls were painted pink and it's floors dotted with the innocent drawings of a child. There was a bed with a flora printed comforter made neatly onto it's surface and a chalk bored with a bunch of numbers and equations scribbled on to it. She had long since given up trying to figure out what they meant, it just made her head hurt. Scarlet had her arms crossed over her chest and her plump lips were puckered into a pout under her helmet as she stared at the back of Mr. Bubbles, his brass armor glittering in the low level light. The room's one light blinked and flickered, as if it would be extinguished at a moments notice. The vermillion haired teenager did not understand why they were here, they had been just standing here for over fifteen minutes. She was getting bored and a little paranoid as she was constantly fearing an ambush from the two Big Sisters they had escaped.

Scarlet shook her helmet encased head and sighed impatiently. She was about to let an ear splitting screech escape from her maw but immediately stopped when she saw Mr. Bubbles' shoulders shake and quiver slightly. Scarlet jumped a little in surprise when a distinct whining sound met her ears. She turned her head all which way, trying to locate the source of the cry. Her sensitive ears located a bunch of quieter but still audible whining sounds coming from… Scarlet's bloody red eyes widened by the second as she focused in on her metal clad companion's now noticeably shaking form.

Mr. Bubbles was…crying?

Scarlet was struck dumfounded. Never in her entire life has she witnessed a Big Daddy cry. Ever. Though they showed small signs of feelings they were generally cold, emotionless…

Hollow.

Their hearts held no fears, the only emotion to ever grace their scrambled up minds being the love for their little ones…and bubbling rage. Sadness, fear, these emotions were suppose to be foreign to them yet…. Yet here stand an enormous Frankenstein of a man, a being crafted from metal and flesh, a being whose soul purpose was to kill and maim, crying. Subject Delta choked and sobbed as he stood hunched over a dresser that had once belonged to a little girl. Her curiousness and worry piqued, Scarlet gracefully crossed the room like a shadow on the wall and glanced over Delta's shoulder to get a look at the object he was holding in his massive hands. The vermillion eyed teenager raised a rust colored eyebrow for in the Frankenstein's hands was the framed photograph of a little girl. Her hair was done in two braided pigtails and her big front toothless grin heavily contrasted with the scowl of her glasses wearing mother who held her on her lap.

A jolt of jealousy surged through Scarlet when Mr. Bubbles lovingly caressed the little girl in the photograph, though he was gentle he never touched her like that! Scarlet's lips turned upwards into a snarl but she didn't make a sound, whoever this girl was she must be very important to him. Scarlet knew who the woman in the picture was, she was the Mother Lamb. Which meant that the little girl on her lap was Eleanor Lamb, the People's Daughter. Scarlet couldn't help but curl her lips into a snarl.

She hated that girl.

The Mother Lamb always went on about how special Eleanor was, how intelligent she was. It was always Eleanor this and Eleanor that! Eleanor, Eleanor, Eleanor! Scarlet knew now why the Mother Lamb was trying to kill her Mr. Bubbles. Eleanor was his little one. Scarlet never liked the blue eyed girl, she emitted this air of superiority that just made you seem dumb when standing next to her. The bloody haired teenager sighed to herself, she knew what she had to do. She wasn't doing it for Eleanor either, she was doing it for Mr. Bubbles.

Subject Delta stiffened when skinny metal entrapped arms wrapped him into an embrace from behind.

"_**I-I HeLP M-m-Mr. B-Bubbles."**_

The Demo Daddy's eyes widened behind his visor, Scarlet must have found out who the girl was in the photo. And she was willing to help him? Scarlet nuzzled into his armor and emitted a soft sigh, all of which caused her Mr. Bubbles to clam down.

"What are you two doing?" The angry accented voice of Grace Holloway called out. The metallic pair turned to face the doorway in which she now stood in. Scarlet bit her lower lip as she took glances at Mr. Bubbles and Grace.

What was Mr. Bubbles going to do?


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter IV: Behind Cold Metal **_

A blood encrusted, ice layered chunk of warped metal found it's way into his right hand within an instant. Dark crimson liquid slowly dripped from the tip of Delta's frost bitten Drill and onto the splintered wooden floors of Grace Holloway's apartment dwellings. The Alpha Daddy's lackluster armor seemed to gleam in the low level light, his blank yellow porthole showed no emotion as he gazed at the old black woman staring him down from the doorway. Scarlet took nervous glances between the two as she slowly dislodged herself from Mr. Bubbles, the crimson haired teenager was in turmoil. Though she has accepted the fact that the Mother Lamb now wanted her dead, she still felt the urge, the programmed instinct, to protect this brittle old woman. The ancient that stood before the metal clad titans looked as if she lived a life of anger, stress, and disappointment after disappointment. Her frizzled black hair was graying and large bags drooped from under her eyes, even her dark skin appeared washed out and gray; as if it had lost it's luster over the years. Grace's lips turned upwards into a snarl of disgust as she stared at the duo, her eyes surprisingly devoid of any fear.

"I know what you two _monsters _are here for, and even if I did refuse to give you what you want it wouldn't make any difference. You'd just run me through and pry it out of my cold dead hands." Grace said bitterly as she walked over to a nearby table. She laid the genetic key that would unlock the Pauper's Drop Station onto it's surface, the key that Delta was so desperate to acquire. Grace's angry chocolate brown eyes once again bored into Delta's blank porthole.

"Go on." Grace gestured to the key. "Take it, I won't have you touchin me you godforsaken monstrosity." Grace shifted her gaze to the framed photograph that Delta held in his massive left hand. Her sharp venomous glare softened slightly at the sight of it.

"Dr. Lamb…trusted me, to care for her child." Grace began. As Delta observed the angry bitter woman that had sent hoard, after hoard of insane genetically altered maniacs after them, he came to the conclusion that she was just tired. Not just physically either, she just seemed…tired of everything.

"And I tried." The ancient when on. "But baby Eleanor disappeared…. Then one day, I see her walking with _you._" Grace glared spitefully at Delta as she said this. "Looking all pale, and demonic, and wrong…, and when I tried to hold her…you knocked me down!" Grace punctuated this by banging the end of her cane against the wooden walls of the apartment, startling the gruesome pair slightly. "You broke my jaw…so I am ready _baby snatcher_, for the both of you! I'm right here." Grace raised her left hand in submission and sent Delta a hate filled smirk. "Finish what you started ten years ago, Tin Daddy."

The tension in the air was so thick, Scarlet wouldn't be surprised if she could cut through it with her serrated blade. Her Mr. Bubbles just stood there, rigid and unmoving like a statue. Grace found the Alpha Daddy unnerving, unlike his brethren he was completely silent, no moans, no thunderous foot steps, just the creaking of the wooden floors straining under his weight as he stepped towards the golden key she had laid on the table. The Hollow man grabbed the genetic key and placed it in one of his suit's many pockets. Scarlet's heart clenched when Mr. Bubbles took a step towards Grace, the brittle woman's face fearless as she stared straight into his porthole.

"_Kid…I know she's been sending hell your way so I'm not really particular on how you deal with her but she's old, and her grudge against you is based on a misunderstanding. I just wanted to let you know that before you go and do something you might regret…."_ Delta heard Sinclair sigh tiredly through the radio. _"She's unarmed, for what it's worth."_

As Delta looked into Grace's dark bitter eyes and then shifted his gaze to Scarlet's apprehensive form, he realized something that made his teeth clench.

Everyone was expecting him to kill her.

This woman has been out to kill him ever since he set foot in Pauper's Drop, they were all expecting him to follow his programming and murder whoever physically harms him, whether it be directly or by other conventional means.

They all thought of him as nothing but a monster.

Delta's eyes shined with determination and defiance under his blank porthole. He would prove them all wrong, he would save not only the Little Sisters but any other living soul he could. He was not a mindless drone, groaning and moaning as he walked through Rapture's sunken streets, he was a human being. Subject Delta decided right then and there that he would appoint himself the responsibility of a Savior. A man who helped those in need, even if it did hurt him in the process, even if he did have to sacrifice his wants and needs. For in the end, what makes a man is the people who talk of his life and legacy.

Grace screamed out in surprise when the Demo Daddy hefted her over his left shoulder gently, albeit a little forcefully, and started to make his way to the exit of the apartment. At first, Scarlet thought that Mr. Bubbles was making a move to throw Grace against the flimsy wooden walls of the apartment, which would no doubt break her aged back. But Mr. Bubbles didn't do that, he didn't abuse her, he picked her up as gently as he would a struggling Little Sister and gestured for her to follow him as he took a shortcut down to the entrance of the hotel.

"What are you doing, you Goddamned monster!"

"_That monster is saving your ungrateful old bones, Gracey."_ Sinclair replied over Delta's radio in a defensive tone. _"After all you put him through, he is willing not only to spare you…but save you…. Kid, you are a much better man than I, you've got to be some kind of saint." _

Delta could only grunt out a quick sound of thanks as he leaped down a huge hole that was torn in the floorboards, with Scarlet quickly following suit. The vermillion eyed teenager was baffled by Mr. Bubbles' actions. She has never seen a Big Daddy spare ANYONE that wronged him, their judgment was quick and swift. They showed no mercy to their aggressors, and made sure that they were not but bloody smears on the walls after they were done delivering their judgment. But Mr. Bubbles…he forgave. They were almost there, they were shuffling down a set of stairs, the entrance to the hotel was in sight.

"_What do you think you are doing, Delta? What are you planning to do with Grace? Are you planning to use her as a ransom in hopes of obtaining Eleanor?"_ Sofia's sharp tongued voice pierced through Delta's radio, it's angry and accusing tone unmistakable. The Mechanical Soldier couldn't help but scoff at the blonde haired psychiatrist, he would never do such a thing. What kind of man did Sofia take him for?

"_Delta, your cold hearted selfishness never ceases to amaze."_

Oh, right.

"_I won't let you get away with this, I was going to tell them to make your death quick and painless but now…I'll let them do what they please. The guardians methods of erasing threats are nothing short of barbaric, but they get their jobs done." _

A mechanical screech of primal fury reverberated through Delta's helmet, disorientating him slightly and blurring his vision. The scream of rage was quick followed by another discordant screech. The two Sisters he and Scarlet had escaped were back, and they sounded angrier than ever. Subject Delta worriedly looked between the brittle old woman that lay on his shoulder and Scarlet who had her frostbitten blade poised to strike. He couldn't afford to have his attention drawn while battling a Big Sister, let alone TWO. Delta sighed quietly to himself, he knew what he had to do. The Hollow man beckoned for Scarlet's attention and gestured for her to carry Grace back to the 'Pauper's Drop: Train Station.'

Scarlet's hollow blood red eyes immediately narrowed and she let out a defiant screech, there was no way she was going to leave Mr. Bubbles! He needed her, she wasn't going to leave him to be ripped apart by her Sisters. Scarlet has seen what her fellow Sisters do to the insane Alpha Series that roam the decrepit halls of this sunken city, she couldn't help but picture her Mr. Bubbles; broken, bloodied…, and gutted. Scarlet screeched in anger and glared at the Alpha Daddy. Subject Delta let out a curt grunt that left no room for arguments. Even if he did die he would be revived by a Vita-Chamber, be that as it may, he was still going to do everything in his power to make sure that he wasn't murdered.

As the wail of a banshee once again sounded throughout the area, followed closely by another, Delta frantically gestured yet again for Scarlet to carry Grace to the safety of the train station. To the Demo Daddy's relief, submissively, reluctantly, she did so.

"Hey what am I, a sack of potatoes?" Grace yelled in outrage. Scarlet took one last glance at her Mr. Bubbles before smirking behind her visor. Delta couldn't help but chuckle as she dematerialized into a cloud of purple chaotic haze, he hoped that Grace rematerialized with everything intact. As the last wisps of Scarlet's haze was carried off by the wind, the Mechanical Soldier quickly got to work. He placed a cluster of proximity mines, trap rivets, and cyclone traps in the middle of the room. He let a pinkish mist envelope the palm of his left hand and placed a decoy of himself on top of the cluster.

As the last teeth shattering shrieks of anger and hatred blasted through the area, Subject Delta immediately began scanning the area for his unseen enemies, a Launcher clutched tightly in his right hand and lightning crackling in his left.

"Death to the beast!" A hysterical scream met the Hollow man's ears and his eyes widened as he watched a Thuggish Splicer charge his Decoy/Trap, it's rusted lead pipe raised over it's head. Secondary rivet's immediately pierced the Splicer's flesh, shrapnel shredded it's eternal organs, and it's body was propelled skywards at extreme speeds. As it's already mangled body smashed into the floor, a mechanical laughter met Delta's ears and he was quickly besieged upon by the two Sisters from before.

There goes most of his trap ammo, wasted on an enemy he could have just stepped on. The Sisters must have used that Splicer as living bait.

Subject Delta quickly created another Decoy to distract the Sisters, and sprinted towards an Ammo Bandito Machine. He maxed out on all possible ammo and let out a frightening roar before he let a bolt of lighting fly from his finger tips and heat seeking RPGs streak from the tube of his Launcher. The Sisters screeched in pain and fury as they were immobilized by paralyzing lightning then blown away by four rocket propelled grenades. The Mechanical Soldier quickly grabbed the handle of his Machine Gun, loading it up with armor piercing rounds, and let flames dance in his left hand.

With a flick of his wrist, the Demo Daddy intensified the flames that already consumed the Sisters' armored formed and unloaded on them with armor piercing rounds. The Sisters screamed in agony as their suits were pierced by high velocity, reinforced, machine gun rounds, their blood spattering all over the floors. The Sister to Delta's left sprinted towards him with pure blinding speed, pushing through the hail of white hot lead, screeching insanely with her ADAM Syringe raised. Before she could pounce on him, Delta slammed the end of his machine gun against the side of the her helmet which sent her careening to the left.

Delta roared in surprise and pain as he was set ablaze by fierce barrage of fireballs, and he was forced to the ground as a wickedly long Syringe pierced his chest plate. The second Sister planted a foot not only his right arm but his left arm as well, her sheer strength and weight preventing him from raising his arms to defend himself. The Sister cackled sadistically as she tore the Syringe from his chest and raised it over his porthole. Delta cursed, he had only one first aid kit left and two EVE Hypos.

Lord, he hated dieing so MUCH.

Before the sadistic Sister could condemn him to the afterlife, a scream of pure undying fury echoed through the area. Electrical appliances short circuited, glass and light bulbs shattered, and in a purple chaotic storm of swirling molecules, Scarlet appeared above Delta's potential killer.

Scarlet shrieked as she hurled herself at her enemy, the force of her air born charge forcing both her and her enemy to the ground. Scarlet stabbed the Sister's right shoulder, her modified Syringe cutting through the armor like butter, and the enemy Sister froze over as a result of the vermillion Sister's Frozen Field Tonic. Scarlet picked up the still frozen Sister with the power of her mind and hurled her clear across the area. The Sister icicle slammed against a wall with enough force to create a crater and fell to the ground, but did not shatter or crack at all. The armor bound teenager thawed out of her icy prison and with a scream of bubbling rage she raised her right hand and sent fireball, after fireball after Scarlet, the vermillion haired Sister doing the same.

As Scarlet and her enemy created a roaring fire storm of destruction around them, Delta was in a lethal dance of close quarter's melee. Delta blocked his enemy's attempt to run him through by bringing up Drill and brought his left fist across the Sister's metal encased cranium. The Sister flowed with the motion of Delta's blow, twisting her body as the Alpha's fist met with her steel covered face, and brought her heel crashing into the Demo Daddy's head. Delta, though disorientated, let lightning fly from his finger tips, stunning the Sister, and then revved his frosty Drill in preparation to run her through. The Sister flexed her telekinetic powers in desperation, causing the electricity streaking across her form to stretch out in a wave and stun Delta as well. Delta gritted his teeth behind the cover of his visor as his enemy recovered.

The Sister looked horrible.

Her porthole was cracked, her armor was charred black and blood was gushing from a gash in her side and air was escaping from the oxygen tanks attached to her back.

Delta couldn't help but think that he probably looked just as bad.

Just as the Sister charged him, prepared to run him through with her wicked blade, she was sent skyward by the Cyclone Trap he had quickly placed in front of him. The Mechanical Soldier recovered from his stunned state, grabbed the handle of his Shotgun, and sent her skyward once again just as she was descending with a blast of Solid Slug. The Sister now whined and screamed as Delta emptied two more Solid Slug shots into her, each of the slugs sending an electrical charge surging through her body as result of the weapon's final upgrade. The Sister's marred lithe figure crashed into the ground with her limbs splayed, her chest heaved as she struggled to stay conscious.

Scarlet gritted her teeth in pain as a she was set ablaze once again by her enemy's scorching flames. The vermillion eyed teenager pushed through the pain, the charring of her armor and flesh, and gathered all the power she had into one final attack, she raised both her hands and closed her hollow blood eyes. She concentrated on the power of her fire and the destruction and pain it would wrought on her enemies. The enemy Sister, seeing Scarlet's concentrating form, seized the opening and charged towards her with her serrated blade ready to plunge into her heart. Scarlet snapped her eyes wide open and let her hellfire loose.

The resulting fireball was the size of a bathysphere.

The fiery projectile slammed into the enemy Sister at point blank range with enough force to send her airborne and she crashed into the ground in a charred, smoking heap. Scarlet could hear her enemy's ragged breaths as she struggled to breath. The bloody haired teen looked over to her Mr. Bubbles while she desperately tried to catch her breath, his armor was charred black, much like her own, and air was escaping from the oxygen tanks on his back.

Subject Delta looked at Scarlet, his breaths ragged and the edges of his vision tinged red, then looked down to the Sister he had defeated. Her helmet light was still on, a sign that she was still alive. Delta aimed his Shotgun at the Sister's porthole as he stood over her.

"_**M-Mr. B-Bubbles…d-do w-we, h-Have t-to k-kill…?"**_

Delta looked over to Scarlet who had removed her helmet, the bulbous piece of metal now tucked under her left arm. She looked at the two Sisters solemnly, her eyes shining with a hope that like her they could be saved. Delta sighed depressingly and reached his left hand out to touch the Sister, hoping that she was at least tame. The Sister managed to push herself up and lashed out with her ADAM Syringe the moment Delta was about to touch her helmet, the wicked weapon nearly piercing his porthole. Delta took a quick step back, looked over to Scarlet and shook his head. Inky black tears started to cascade down Scarlet's freckled cheeks and her lower lip trembled, but she nodded nonetheless. Delta put his Shotgun away and grabbed the handle of his Rivet Gun, he didn't want to see the girl's brains spill out onto the floor.

After all the time he spent with Scarlet…it sickened him to have to do this to a being that looked exactly like her.

Delta aimed the barrel of his Rivet Gun right in the center of Sister's visor, Scarlet cried harder and clenched her eyes for with her advance hearing she was able to hear the Sister's last words just before Delta pulled the trigger.

"_**Y-you s-SHriEK-Traitors."**_

_BANG_

The Sister fell back, dead, a rivet planted in the dead center of her forehead. The second enemy Sister had witnessed the murder, her gaze shifted between Delta and Scarlet with new found fear in her hollow crimson eyes. She tried to crawl away as the monster, the _Hollow_ man made his way over to her. She whimpered and let blackened tears fall from her eyes as she heard his footsteps getting closer, and closer. The Sister kept dragging herself along the ground, trying to escape from the Hollow that had just killed her Sister. She tried to escape, tried to keep her cries inaudible but she couldn't. Just as she felt he was right above her, image of a Rivet Gun being aimed at the back of her head, she did something that she hasn't done since her gathering days as a Little Sister; when she was weak and defenseless.

She curled herself into a ball and screamed.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter V: Frozen Hate **_

Subject Delta stood over the crumpled form of his incapacitated foe, his Rivet Gun clutched tightly in his right hand and buzzing electrical lights crackling and dancing in his left. Scarlet had effectively beat the metal encased teenager into submission but like before, he wasn't about to let his guard down. The Demo Daddy looked over to Scarlet, who had hope shining within her hellish orbs as she gazed upon the handicapped form of the Big Sister. The redheaded teen kneeled before her wounded kin, placing a gentle, leather encompassed hand onto her right shoulder. The woman let out a mechanical whine and tensed up at the physical contact. All the Sister knew was that the rogue Alpha was responsible for the murder of her Pack Sister and that she was about to be next. The wounded post-pubescent girl curled herself into a ball, hugging her knees tightly to her chest, and whined quietly to herself.

Though the terrified young woman struggled, Scarlet managed to unwind the Big Sister from her fetal position and wrapped her into a strong but gentle embrace. The Big Sister cried softly into Scarlet's armored shoulder, her chest rapidly heaving against the redhead's own like a frightened rabbit. Scarlet started to emit a soothing metallic hum, like the sonata of a violin.

The frosty, heart wrenching spear that was known as guilt plunged into Delta's chest as he watched the interaction between the two Big Sisters. The Alpha Daddy let the electricity crackling in his left hand fizzle out and his grip on his Rivet Gun slackened. Scarlet's eyes snapped towards her Mr. Bubbles as his weaponized nail gun hit the floor with a _CLANG_.

A small frown made it's way onto Scarlet's porcelain features as she observed Mr. Bubbles from her spot on the pavement. He was just staring at her…, no, he was staring at the Sister she held comfortingly in her arms. Delta slowly made his way up to the teenagers, the sound of his heavy footfall alerting the Big Sister in Scarlet's embrace to his advancements. The Sister dislodged herself from Scarlet upon seeing his massive form draw closer and backpedaled away from him. She didn't want to die, she didn't want to be murdered just as her Sister was. The Sister hugged herself as she backed into a wall, she was cornered and completely defenseless. What was the Demo Daddy going to do to her? Delta cringed at the fear she showed towards him, maybe if he could gain her trust he would be able get her out of here. Like he said before, he was going to save as many lives as he possibly could during his journey. This Sister, like Scarlet, seemed to have a bit of free thinking left within her, so unlike a normal Big Sister, reasoning with her should be a lot easier.

The un-named Sister gazed at the pavement as the brass colored Alpha Series towered over her. She bit her lower lip in desperation and forced herself to stare into his emotionless yellow porthole. This was her Pack Sister's murderer, the one who has been corrupting the children of the Family and killing his own brethren. This was the Demo Daddy who had brainwashed her scarlet haired Sister into joining his cause, turned her against the Family, the Mother Lamb! Was she really going to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her terrified as he finally pulled the trigger on her life? No, she wasn't going to sit here and beg, she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of seeing her pleading face. Her crimson orbs lit up with fury and determination as she removed her bulbous helmet from her shoulders and stood up to face Delta, her eyes narrowed into slits and her lips pulled back into a snarl.

Despite the Sister's blatant hostility, Delta couldn't help but freeze upon laying eyes on her face. The Sister's face was a stern mask that looked as if it was forged from icy white limestone, it's hard features littered with a multitude of glimmering auburn scars; the most noticeable one being a diagonal slash mark that started at her left eye, went through the bridge of her nose, and ended at her right cheek. Her eyes, like Scarlet's own, radiated a hellish bloody light, with her irises being a lighter color than the sea of red they floated in. The Sister's snarling lips, although thinner than Scarlet's own, looked just as velvety. A cascading curtain of sand colored locks floated just above the Sister's shoulders in a tangled, dust caked sheet. The Sister emitted a low, guttural growl and exposed her four inch canines in an attempt to warn off Delta.

The Alpha Daddy however extended his right hand in an attempted show at companionship, he did not want to fight the lithe armor bound figure, he wanted to help her. But the Big Sister saw his outstretched hand as a threatening gesture and quickly swatted it away. Delta took a step back as she shrieked in anger and fury, her eyes glimmering an even more ominous red hue. She would not stand here and let the Rogue intimidate her, she just wanted to be left alone, if he did not leave her she would maul him. She didn't care if she died, she just wanted to be left alone.

The Sister wondered if the Alpha had lost all of his wits when he once again, calmly took a step towards her, his arms extended out towards his sides as a sign of peace. The Sister analyzed Delta, from his armor plated head, to his steel tipped boots. The Alpha Daddy's porthole was cracked, his armor was charred black, and a steady stream of pressurized air was escaping from the oxygen tanks strapped to his back. The sandy haired Sister's psychotic mind began to work on over drive, her calculating eyes gleaming in the darkened halls of the Sinclair Deluxe. This Big Daddy, like herself, was on his last legs, and if she struck hard and fast, maybe she would be able to kill him.

The Sandy Sister knew that the Mother Lamb would be sending in her Splicer forces once she realized that 'Rogue' was not yet dead. Sandy's rock hard features gave way and contorted into a hate filled sneer. Delta took an instinctive step back, the look that she was sending him was that of a predator studying it's prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. The sound of air being sliced echoed through the dark streets as Sandy extended her wicked ADAM Syringe to it's full length. Scorching flames danced and flickered in her right hand as she took a step forward.

Scarlet's eyes widened in shock at the brunette's vile intentions, but despite this, she was immediately on her feet and at her Mr. Bubbles side, her frost bitten Syringe fully poised. The Sandy Sister's eyes frightened Scarlet. They were eyes full of hate, loathing, bloodlust. They were eyes seeking vengeance, and they were firmly locked on to their victim. Scarlet's right palm pulsed with flame as she stepped towards her enemy once more, this time fully intent on finishing the job. A massive hand blocked the crimson haired Sister's path before she could advance further, and she found herself once again staring into her knight's faceless mask. Delta emitted a low moan as he gestured for her to stand down, this was between him and the Sister. Scarlet screeched in defiance, what was he thinking? He was in no condition to fight on his own, what could he possibly be planning? Delta moaned reassuringly as he stepped towards Sandy.

An agonizing roar tore from Delta's throat as a barrage of fireballs suddenly engulfed his massive form. The Mechanical Soldier was then thrown onto his back as the insane sandy haired Sister barreled into him. As he struggled to get to his feet, he was once again knocked back as an armored heel crashed into his already shattering porthole. Scarlet growled in confusion, Mr. Bubbles wasn't even trying! She wasn't going to sit there and let that psychopathic teenager murder him, Sisters be damned! But, as she aggressively stalked towards the object of her rage, Mr. Bubbles waved her away frantically. Scarlet's eyebrows knitted together in furious confusion and she unconsciously bared her canines. What was Mr. Bubbles doing?

Like a demented shower, blood sprayed into the air as the Sandy Sister's serrated blade ripped through Delta's left shoulder. Before he could even react, the insane Sister clutched his helmeted head in both her hands and slammed his armored skull into the pavement. She picked his massive hide off the ground by the back of his head and sent him tumbling into a pile of crates. The Sister's blade pierced his armored chest before he could even attempt to rise, and she cackled insanely as she stabbed him over and over again. She would yank her Syringe forcefully from his chest, blood spewing from his wounds and splattering across her face from the brutality of the movements, and thrust her weapon into him again. Delta could feel his life slowly fading as the Sister brutalized him. Scarlet shrieked in agonizing despair, inky black tears cascading down her pale, freckled cheeks. She weakly, shakily, extended a hand…but could only cry harder as Mr. Bubbles waved her off once again. Why wouldn't he let her help him, couldn't he see how much this was hurting her? As Scarlet desperately searched for an answer, she came to a shocking conclusion.

Mr. Bubbles wanted the Sister to hurt him.

He knew that HE was the source of the Sandy Sister's pain, anger, and fear. If he wanted to gain her trust, he would need to prove to her that he really wanted to help her. That meant letting her release all of her anger on himself. The Sandy Sister grabbed Delta by the back of his helmet, guiding him off of the floor, and proceeded to slam his metal encased cranium into a concrete wall, over and over again. Delta's porthole had long since shattered, it's constant yellow glow now faded and black. When the Sister was done with her fun, her breaths quick from the excitement and adrenaline rush, she threw Delta's limp body to the floor. The sound of his steady breathing was the only indication that he was still of this world. Sandy looked down on the Rogue's pitiful form in amusement and disgust, he was hardly putting up a fight, where did all of his strength go? As Sandy kneeled beside him, her ADAM Syringe raised high into the air, prepping for the killing blow, the Rogue Alpha clutched her left arm in his massive right hand and administered a high voltage Electro Bolt. Sandy Sister screeched in pure agony as the electrical lights danced across her armored form. With her body already weakened from the previous battle and the physical exertion she put it through, the electric shock was enough to send her flailing onto her back in an agonizing spasm.

Seeing her chance, Scarlet rushed over to the downed form of her Mr. Bubbles and inserted only the very tip of her Syringe into his right wrist. He moaned softly, but did not put up a struggle. Scarlet emitted a soothing metallic hum, and rubbed the back of Mr. Bubbles' left hand gently as she injected a dose of ADAM into his system, healing his wounds. Scarlet then calmly stood up and extended her right hand out towards him, which he took with a smile. When Delta had fully risen onto his feet, Scarlet pulled him into strong and loving embrace. The crimson haired woman wept into Delta's shoulder, the Hollow Man caressing the back of her head gently as she did so. She had almost seen him brutally killed right before her eyes, she felt so helpless…

She never wanted feel like that EVER again.

A terrified screech ripped from the Sandy Sister's throat as she realized that she was fully paralyzed. She couldn't move her arms, her legs…, she was helpless; and as that fact sunk in, a new wave of despair washed over her.

Her entire body ached, she was in pure agony, plain and simple. It felt as if her suit had actually fused to her very flesh from the sheer intensity of the Rogue's electrical shock. The mangled Sister's hellish crimson eyes overflowed with tears the color of darkness as she felt the slight tremor of the rogue Alpha Series' footsteps ripple through the ground. She craned her throbbing neck as best she could, looking over her right shoulder to stare defiantly into the cracked, bloodstained porthole of her Pack Sister's murderer.

And hers as well.

The Big Sister was ashamed of herself for screaming out in such a cowardly manner, her Pack Sister had stared fearlessly into the face of death, she fought and struggled till her dieing moment, she wasn't going to dishonor herself by begging for mercy. She was a Big Sister, she was the top predator of the underwater, concrete jungle known as Rapture, she was the phantom that stalked within the darkest corners of the dystopia, she wasn't going to beg! As the Alpha Series kneeled beside her, she wondered if she could possibly try to make a last stand. After trying to move her arms and legs futilely, she ceased her movements altogether and resigned to her fate. She was to weak to even move, a Thuggish Splicer could probably kill her in her current state.

Subject Delta tensed when the downed Sister tried to move her gangly, spidery limbs, but relaxed slightly when she ceased her movements. Scarlet, though Delta didn't notice, was beginning to doubt if saving the Sandy Sister was a good idea. She didn't want to see the girl killed, but at the same time she couldn't let her hurt Mr. Bubbles! To Scarlet's relief (or was it dissatisfaction?) when Mr. Bubbles kneeled beside the Sister the only thing she could do was squirm weakly.

As Delta sat the Sister into an upright position, and raked the fingers of his massive right hand gently through her dirty locks, a low, guttural growl sounded from her throat. The sound reverberated through the air, causing Delta to tense up, but he continued with his gentle caressing.

The Sister's deep, threatening growls kept Delta on edge, but he couldn't help but admire her strength. She was still willing to fight, still trying to pick herself up. Though her body had reached it's limits, her will was still intact. A will as strong as planet…Terra. That was perfect, the name fitted her well with her earthen colored hair and unbreakable will.

'Terra' was confused by the Alpha Daddy's behavior, he should be bashing her skull in with his massive fists and or Drill, not gently caressing her as if she were some scared little child! She had beat him within an inch of his life…what the hell was he doing? Was he mocking her? Was he trying lure her into a false state of safety? A tingling, pulsing sensation suddenly made it's way through her flesh in waves. It didn't hurt though, it felt…pleasurable. The sensation traveled throughout every nerve cell in her body, making her sigh contently much to her chagrin. What was the Alpha Daddy doing to her? Subject Delta knew that his Sister Savior Plasmid had no real effect on Big Sisters, but judging by the way it calmed Scarlet when he used it on her before, and Terra as well, it seemed to work as a Relaxation Plasmid for the older Sisters.

As the Alpha continued to caress her gently, Terra found herself leaning into his touch and to her distaste, she whimpered when he pulled his massive hand away. As Scarlet watched the interaction, her porcelain features took an unreadable expression, her crimson eyes blank as they gazed upon Mr. Bubbles and Terra. Scarlet glided her right hand over her stomach gently, pressing her leather encompassed palm against it.

She hated this feeling.

It felt as if her insides were going through a grinder, like her intestines were being chewed and mashed up into ground beef. Her face was stern and her lips were pressed into a thin line as she watched _her_ Mr. Bubbles help the non appreciative Sister onto her feet. Why did she want to hurt this girl for the contact Mr. Bubbles was giving to her? She knew that helping the Sister was the right thing to do, but at the same she didn't want to lose Mr. B. Scarlet shook her head slightly, there was no way that Mr. Bubbles was going to replace her, he wouldn't do that. As Mr. Bubbles healed Terra's wounds, Scarlet's blood red eyes met with that of her once enemy's.

She could possibly still be an enemy.

They stared at each other intently, Scarlet's dull blood red eyes boring into Terra's slightly frightened ones, sending a silent message to her possible enemy. With her eyes alone, Scarlet made sure to communicate to Terra that Mr. Bubbles was hers, _hers_. She wouldn't allow this Sister to take away the only thing that she had left, and if she tried to take him away…she would kill her. She would pierce Terra's gut with her wicked blade, split her stomach wide open, and rip the ADAM Slug from it's grisly confines just to make sure she was completely and utterly dead. Upon seeing the Sister's angered, furious features, Scarlet's face softened.

Perhaps that was a bit much, but she didn't want the Sister getting any ideas. If she tried to take Mr. Bubbles away from her, by either killing him or stealing his affections, she would kill her. Scarlet just couldn't take the chance of losing Mr. Bubbles. As Delta finished healing Terra of her wounds, he beckoned for Scarlet to come near so that he could nurse her scars as well. Scarlet smiled happily, but still sent a warning glare over to the sandy haired Sister who was now glaring back at her.

Delta gently placed his left hand against the gash on Scarlet's right side, the gooey red substance that was first aid kits quickly seeping into the wound. As the discomforting gash quickly sealed, Scarlet quickly wrapped her arms around the helmeted head of a slightly surprised Delta. The metal man couldn't help but smile as Scarlet nuzzled into his brass armor. Scarlet focused her crimson red eyes onto that of Terra's, her lips twisted into a snarl. Terra emitted a low, guttural growl in response, she wasn't going to be intimidated by Scarlet, not by a long shot.

Delta, unaware of the tension that was rising between the two Sisters, gently dislodged Scarlet from his massive frame and gestured for her, along with Terra, to equip their helmets and follow him, picking up his Rivet Gun on the way. As he lead them to the nearest Vita-Chamber, the two Sisters sent each other death glares along the way. Terra didn't really know why she was following the two rogues, Delta himself was the Family's number one enemy and the crimson haired Scarlet had made it clear that she had defected. Why was she following them? The rogue, had made the mistake of healing her of her wounds, she had the opportunity of sneak attacking him…but he was sure to kill her this time if she failed. As Terra mulled this over in her warped, psychotic head, Delta's porthole transfixed on the sapphirey liquid contents of a tonic bottle lying in a puddle of briny water. Ignoring the twisted, naked corpse lying next to the genetic elixir, Delta snatched up the bottle and read the label.

'_Get a leg up on your enemies with Ryan Industries new 'Leg Up Tonic'! Grants the user the ability to jump several meters off the ground to either escape enemies, pursue them, or just to gain access to those hard to reach places!'_

Delta moaned in excitement, being able to leap the staggering distances that Big Sisters and Brute Splicers were capable of sounded like a very thrilling prospect. So without a second to lose, Delta filled an empty EVE Hypo to the brim with the viscous blue liquid and injected it into his bloodstream. Delta could feel the tonic spreading throughout his very veins, strengthening his muscles, particularly the ones within his legs. Scarlet regarded the elixir with nothing but a curious glance, she already knew that she had a similar tonic flowing within her veins.

Terra bit her lower lip in desperation as they finally arrived at a Vita-Chamber, what should she do? She came to the conclusion that she wouldn't be able to defeat the two rogues, not by herself anyway. So, should she flee? Scarlet hopped into the Vita-Chamber without a beat, the machine mending the torn fabric of her suit. As the rogue Alpha took his turn within the machine, Terra wondered if she should make a break for it while he was occupied. This was the perfect chance for her to make an escape…so why wasn't she hightailing it out of there? Why was she just standing there, patiently awaiting the Alpha's orders like a loyal dog?

As the Protectors began to make their way towards the 'Pauper's Drop: Train Station', their metallic suits mended and fully functional, Terra was still lost in her thoughts. Why wasn't she fleeing or trying to kill the rogue?

"_K-kid, a-are y-you t-there? Come on, chief, talk to me!"_ Sinclair's frantic southern tinged accent crackled over the radio. Delta grunted, clearly annoyed at Sinclair's demand, but happy to hear the businessman's voice.

"_Oh…sorry about that chief. I'm just glad you're alright! Your communication systems went offline when I saw one of them Big Sisters streaking towards ya. Kid, you and your girlfriend must've been knocked around an awful lot. You sure yawl okay-wait a minute…is that another Big Sister? Are you aware of the fact that there are now two Big Sisters followin you?" _

Delta brought a massive hand up to his armored forehead and let out an exasperated Big Daddy moan. Here it comes.

"…"

"…"

"_HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH! Oh my Lord Jesus Christ! You got two of them now? Really? Seriously? HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH! You must've been sprayed with an overdose of Big Daddy pheromones or somethin kid! Or maybe you're secretly the Big Daddy prototype by the name of 'Pimp Daddy'. HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH, HAH! You ain't never gonna hear the end of this kid, NEVER!"_

Delta moaned loudly in annoyance. Why? Why did he have to be partnered up with the annoying businessman? Perhaps if he threatened to shove his Drill where the sun don't shine, maybe that would get Sinclair to shut up. Terra had no idea what the southern accented voice was on about but she really didn't care, she had her own problems to worry about. Scarlet was humming a metallic tune to herself, her porthole gazing upwards at the leaking glass ceiling of Pauper's Drop. Unfortunately, she wasn't paying attention to were she was walking and she strode right into Terra's back. The already stressed out Sister turned to face Scarlet, her porthole glimmering a hellish red, and shoved the crimson haired girl backwards. Scarlet stumbled back, regained her footing, and growled menacingly.

Delta, now noticing the growl a stressed out Big Sister emits, quickly faced the two and got between them, shoving them apart gently. Scarlet, who was on his right, shrieked out at Terra who did the same. Delta moaned as soothingly as possible but that did little to douse their rising hostility. Delta sighed, he hadn't done this in awhile but maybe it would stop their bickering. The Hollow Man took a deep breath and roared a roar that only a Big Daddy could. The noise vibrated through the air like a prehistoric scream of fury, rippling the sound barrier, disorientating the two mentally disturbed teenagers and blurring their vision. The two Sisters now had their yellow portholes trained on the Alpha Daddy, Scarlet had never heard Mr. Bubbles roar like that and was thoroughly frightened, Terra was afraid of incurring the Alpha Daddy's wrath so she immediately stopped her bickering. Delta sighed and gently patted the two Sisters on their helmeted heads gently, communicating to them that he wasn't angry but they just needed to stay focused. Scarlet nodded her head as well as Terra, albeit begrudgingly. Delta turned his attention back to the Gatherer's Garden he was facing, crossing his arms in thought. He had saved up his ADAM during his trip through Pauper's Drop and now that it was coming to a close, it was time for him to upgrade his already genetically enhanced body.

Delta was spliced up with Electro Bolt, Incinerate, Decoy, Telekiniesis, and Cyclone Trap. His Tonics included Sports Boost I, Leg Up, Armored Shell I, Frozen Field I, and Drill Power I. His DNA would only allow him to splice up with eight Plasmids and eighteen Tonics. If he spliced anymore than that, his genetic code would start to unravel and breakdown which would cause him to go violently insane, then die an excruciatingly painful death shortly after. Hell, even Splicers had limits, which is why most of them chose to splice up with raw ADAM instead of Plasmids.

Their isn't any limit on that, plus it made them a lot more durable than any normal human (A standard Splicer is able to survive two swings from Delta's Drill.)

As Delta skimmed through the Gatherer's Garden selection line up, Terra regarded the machine with a raised burnished eyebrow. She had considered altering her abilities, but the Mother Lamb forbade the Sisters from squandering their ADAM selfishly on themselves. All of their ADAM was taken away from them to be pumped into the 'People's Daughter'. Terra sighed softly, Eleanor was in pain, she knew that. She knew that she was somehow responsible for this Alpha Series appearance…but she still had a duty to uphold. She had to serve the family…right? Delta decided to purchase Winter Blast II and Scout I. He also upgraded his current Plasmid line up to their level two forms. His current Plasmid count was now up to seven. The Mechanical Soldier also purchased a couple of Tonics: Fire Storm, Hacker's Delight I, Fast Feet, and the extremely helpful Resurrection.

The Resurrection Tonic would allow anyone Spliced up with it to comeback to life after being killed (though there did have to be a body to resurrect, so if you're shattered into a million pieces by Winter Blast, you're long gone.) Delta immediately encouraged both Scarlet and Terra to splice up with this Tonic, since they weren't able to use the Vita-Chambers like he could. He also allowed them to splice up with his other Plasmids and Tonics. They expressed concern when splicing up with the Plasmids, as no other Sister had ever done so before, but they did so none the less. When they were finished with their 'shopping spree', Terra had a sheet of frost covering her Syringe and Scarlet was as hyperactive as ever, the extra ADAM flowing in her system giving her a buzz.

"_**Father, can you hear me?"**_

Scarlet and Terra immediately turned their portholes onto Delta in confusion when he suddenly went rigid. He was as still as the art Deco Statues littering Rapture's decayed halls. Delta once again felt his body go numb, his limbs twitching slightly in paralyzed pleasure. That voice…, that accented voice echoing through his head…it sounded so close, yet so distant.

"_**It's me, Eleanor."**_


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter VI: A Chilling Desperation**_

Subject Delta stumbled forward slightly, caught off guard by the wave of nausea that washed over him. Though Scarlet was surprised, her bewilderment in no way decreased her reaction time as she swiftly latched onto Delta's right arm and steadied him as he kneeled to the ground. Exhausted, labored breaths resonated through the air as Subject Delta struggled to snuff out his feelings of sickness. Every second wasted gave Sofia Lamb more time to plot out ways of impeding his progress towards his ultimate goal.

Terra gave the kneeling pair an uncaring backwards glance over the shoulder, her gleaming porthole refusing to betray any sort of emotion. Terra was still struggling with her feelings for the rogue Alpha, and was reluctant to show him any compassion or worry. The damned metal man had murdered her Pack Sister right in front of her eyes, a sin such as that would take a long time for her to simply forgive.

As her crimson haired kin struggled to steady the Alpha Daddy, Terra growled in annoyance at her jumbled up thoughts. Why was it so hard for her to fathom leaving him? Why did he choose to spare her life when he could have so easily snuffed it out as he did with her Pack Sister's? The Rogue's actions were so confusing, further enhanced by the fact that he spared her when she plainly tried to murder him. But, judging by the way the Alpha's hands were quivering, she might very well be rid of her nuisance soon.

A sickly, agonized inhuman moan ripped from Delta's mutilated throat as a scarlet mist clouded his mind and sight.

"_**F-Father-r….c-Can y-you …h-Hear…m-me…?"**_

As Delta clutched his helmeted cranium in agony, Terra shook her own in pity. The Alpha was obviously suffering from the same faulty bonding process as the rest of his kin. She would have left the pitiful creature there to die in peace, or maybe even put him out of his misery.

But the confusing truth of the matter was that she just couldn't.

"_Kid, are you alright?"_ Sinclair's southern twanged voice gripped in concern.

Gritting his teeth through the scraping pain that wracked his skull, Delta, with the help of Scarlet and a nearby wall, pulled himself onto his heavily booted feet. Like his first injection of the Electro Bolt Plasmid, the pain and nausea that wracked his body began to give way to a euphoric feeling. A pair of sapphire eyes suddenly appeared within the Alpha Daddy's 'mind's eye'. They shown with a brilliance that rivaled that of any diamond rock. Pristine, ivory flesh surrounded the eyes, and a strand of ebony hair ran through the middle of the cerulean orbs. The Alpha Daddy knew who those eyes belonged to…

"_**Father, this is Eleanor! It's urgent, Mother is planning on destroying the Pauper's Drop Train Station. Her forces are gathering at the terminal as I speak. Please, hurry!"**_

Scarlet blinked her vermillion orbs rapidly before narrowing them in utter confusion. Had she been imagining things when she heard that voice in her head? Scarlet glanced over at Terra who, to her surprise, also had the same skeptical look on her face.

"_**Father, MOVE-"**_

The euphoric feeling was gone, along with Eleanor's piercing sapphire eyes and the bloody haze, all of it was replaced by black and white blotches. The nausea had returned to Delta full force, but what changed was the cause of it all. This feeling of sickness was not caused by anything related to his condition, but inflicted by a PHYSICAL blow. The surprised, pain filled shriek that pierced the air snapped the Mechanical Soldier right out of his personal suffering. The metal man blinked his eyes rapidly, clearing his vision, and was greeted to the sight of Scarlet lying splayed out on the pavement several feet away from him. His gaze shifted to Terra, who had assumed an aggressive stance and was growling deep and low. An inhuman, testosterone yell of fury echoed through the air as Terra narrowly managed to avoid… Was that a slab of asphalt from the street? Delta locked his porthole onto his newly found enemy as he quickly stood on his own two feet, Scarlet also quick to regain her own footing.

The massive form of a Brute Splicer sprinted towards them at an insane speed. He showed no concern for his fellow Splicers as he tossed them out of his path like rag dolls. The beast slammed his shoulder into Delta with enough force to send him crashing into the asphalt. The Mechanical Soldier quickly pushed himself off the ground, and grabbed the frost layered weapon that was his Drill. The Brute sent a massive right hook sailing across the air, it's intended target being the rusted helmet of the Alpha Daddy. The cinderblock sized fist was halted just before it reached it's intended target. Delta held the Brute's arm by the his wrist, smirking triumphantly as he sent an Electro Bolt surging through the Brute's massive body.

The behemoth of a Splicer sputtered obscenities as he shook in a spasm, and he was knocked backwards as Delta's Drill collided with his face. Letting the electricity sparking from his finger tips fizzle out, Delta called upon the whirling winds of Cyclone Trap. The tank of a Splicer flailed his massive arms and yelled out in fright as he was suddenly sent sailing into the air. Delta hastily grabbed the handle of his shotgun and propelled the Brute a few feet away with a blast of Solid Slug ammo.

Delta took on a slightly confused posture when the Brute's chest was impaled by a giant shard of ice, and it's body instantly froze solid. The Proto Daddy followed the trail of freezing wind back to Scarlet's own outstretched ice layered palm, which was positioned in a knife hand gesture. Shards of glass flew threw the air as the Brute Splicer crashed into one of the Fishbowl Diner's windows.

"_Is stealing all you can do?"_ Sophia Lamb hissed over Delta's shortwave radio. Her tone of voice was cold but laced with an undeniable fury. _"Take, take, take are you incapable of anything else? You take away our children, our Gate Keepers,…you took away my friend…."_ Sofia's seemed to crack at that last one. _"You are just like Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine. The only thing that interests you is your own personal gain. Eleanor is the People's Daughter, she inspires them, she gives them hope…. She is the air to my life's work, she is our Messiah, and we as a whole, as a __**Family**__ have no second thoughts about sacrificing our lives so that she may guide us from these hellish depths."_ It was at this point that the Mechanical Soldier noticed that Sofia's voice was blaring from Rapture's intercoms. Delta's eyes narrowed behind his blank porthole.

That Sofia Lamb…she was a smart one. She was using her words and charisma to rile up the Splicers, to increase their ferocity towards him and his allies ten fold.

"_Subject Delta, I believe that I have stated this to you before, though I doubt if I made myself perfectly clear. Rapture is a __**body**_…"

The psychotic yells and screams of a mob of blood thirsty Splicers echoed throughout Rapture's hollowed hallways. The Brute Splicer that had been incapacitated was getting back to his feet with a look of rage and inspiration on his marred, mutated face. As the maniacal screams of dozens of Splicers grew closer and closer, the titan like trio sprinted forward. If what Eleanor said was true, than they didn't have much time.

"_I am the __**voice**__…"_

Terra narrowly dodged the pressurized automatic door that the Brute hurled at her, she wanted to return the favor but knew that they had to reach the Train Station quickly.

"_**Big Sister**__ is the hand."_

Delta stopped dead in his tracks when a hellish, glass shattering scream like nothing he has ever heard before erupted through the dank, blood caked hallways of Pauper's Drop. This scream was different from any other Big Sisters he has faced before. It was louder, deeper, more animalistic. Not only that, but it had reduced Scarlet into a shivering mess and had Terra whipping her head all which way in frantic fear. That wasn't the sound of your average, everyday Big Sister. Even the mob of Splicers that now stood before them, as well as the Brute Splicer that was pursuing them, had halted their advancements.

"_When Rapture speaks of you it says only this…sleep well, sleep peacefully, sleep now…for on this day __you will be __**Judged. **__Make no mistake, you will soon die Subject Delta, and __**SHE**__ will be your Undertaker." _And with that last, bone chilling statement, Sofia's feed to both Delta's radio and Rapture's intercoms was severed, leaving only the scream of a demonic siren to answer her call for vengeance. The hellish wail was disorienting, but it was also distracting the dozen or so Splicers standing before the trio. Not one to let an opening go to waste, Subject Delta quickly reached for the handle of his Machine Gun and once again let the flickering genetic flames of Incinerate dance from the palm or his hand and finger tips. The Mechanical Soldier super charged the flames that emitted from his palm, feeding them EVE until his hand shook with a hellish power. With a mighty roar of fury and determination, Delta let his hellfire loose.

The entire group of Splicers instantly exploded in a brilliant shower of embers and flames. Desperate to douse the fire that encompassed their bodies, the Thuggish and Leadhead Splicers frantically searched for a body of water but to no avail. Delta massacred the Splicers that had not died in the initial explosion with a hail of Antipersonnel machine gun fire.

Shaking his head from his dazed state, the Brute Splicer yelled out in fury. The testosterone fueled bull rampaged towards the closest target in his line of sight. Terra snapped out of her terrified state upon feeling the ground rumble and shake beneath her. She spun on a heel and let balls of fiery genetic napalm erupt from her finger tips. The Brute roared in agony as he was set ablaze, and stopped mid charge. Scarlet also pushed her fear aside, and with a flick of her wrist sent the Brute flying into the air with a well placed Cyclone Trap. Terra wasted no time in turning the Splicer's body into a pin cushion with a barrage of ice spears. As the frost covering her forearm melted away, Terra's nerves began to clash and spark. The brunette let an bolt of lightning fly from her hand, her crimson haired kin doing the same. The Brute crashed into the ground, a charred mass of flesh with huge, gaping holes littering the body.

As one final eardrum splitting scream rocked the foundations of Pauper's Drop, the trio frantically made their way towards the Train Station. They all focused their combined might on clearing their path of enemies. Delta had no idea what kind of Big Sister was after them, but something was telling him that he didn't want to find out.

The doors leading to the Train Station swung open just as a powerful gale forced wind erupted from behind the trio. Delta wrapped both his arms around Scarlet and Terra's thin waist lines and made a straight charge for the train.

"_Kid, You have to unlock the Station first!"_

Damn, he had nearly forgotten about that. As the doors to the passenger train cart opened, Delta pushed both a defiant Scarlet and reluctant Terra through the doors. As the doors swung shut with a resounding _swoosh _, the Mechanical Soldier noticed that the howling winds had stopped.

Only the sound of his labored, frightened breaths could be heard. Delta couldn't believe the shear fear this being installed in him. The metal man forced his body to turn backwards, forced himself to face this Nemesis.

The gleaming stare of a hellish crimson porthole met his emotionless yellow mask. The Big Sister that stood at the entrance of the Train Station was not that different in design from her lower counterparts. She had the same general armor configuration with a few minor tweaks and upgrades. The chain mail and leather of her suit, instead of being dark brown and white, was a dark shade of red and black. Her helmet, chest plate, and Little Sister caring cage were a pristine golden color, and the bows that adorned her caring cage were a light blue instead of pink. To top it all off, a red striped collar jutted skyward from the neck of the Big Sister's helmet. The Alpha Daddy's eyes had traveled downward and were now staring at the five foot _Katana _that was attached to the underside of the Sister's ADAM Syringe. As he finished fully taking in her appearance, Delta now knew for a fact that he wasn't staring at just any old Big Sister.

He was staring into the 'eye' of an Elite.

* * *

_AN: I realize this chapter is short but it is 10:11 PM and I have yet to finish my freaken homework. The next chapter will be up sometime this week, and if not that then sometime during the weekend. -Dreamscape1993-_


	7. Chapter 7

**An author's note from another dimension: **

It's been forever since I've been on this account and forever since I've written a short story or fanfiction of any kind. I have been in a major funk, that is to say, a perpetual writer's block for months and I had long since thought my fanfiction stories had been forgotten. I had just finished playing Bioshock Infinite and when the credits started rolling my thoughts wandered back to my old account and all my unfinished stories. I'm in college now, I've been reading like mad, and I think I'm finally ready to continue where I left off. Not this very second though cause I have to go switch into a math class, lol.

Bioshock Infinite's ending still has me in a state of amazement and confusion so my grammar probably really isn't all that good. Plus I've been reading some White Wolf game books such as Mage and Vampire the Masquerade and they got some really funky wording and concepts, lol.


End file.
